AAA releases study on Move Over laws - - CBS19 News
WASHINGTON (CBS19 NEWS) -- AAA Mid-Atlantic says there is a dangerous trend on the roads and it's urging drivers to slow down and move over if possible when near a construction zone or emergency vehicles.
According to a release, AAA has released new research that indicates some drivers may not fully grasp the danger they pose to roadside workers.
There is also an alarming finding concerns the first responders who have been hurt or killed while working at the roadside.
The release says on average one first responder is killed every other week while working at a roadside situation across the country.
This includes a AAA tow driver in Ohio who was killed on July 4 while loading a disabled vehicle on the back of a flatbed truck and another AAA driver in Colorado who was killed later that same month.
“As drivers, we all share responsibility for keeping roadside workers safe. By paying attention, slowing down and moving over, away from the side of the road where work is taking place, we allow those working to do so without risk,” said Tom Wiedemann, President and CEO, AAA Club Alliance. “AAA is committed to raising awareness around this critical issue that continues to tragically claim the lives of first responders and disabled motorists.”
AAA reports 14 tow providers have been killed while helping disabled motorists as of August so far this year.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have Move Over laws, but the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says drivers don't know about them or they thought not complying was not dangerous to roadside workers.
The survey found that 42 percent of drivers who do not comply with Move Over laws thought such behavior was only somewhat or not dangerous at all to emergency workers.
Nearly a quarter of responders didn't know the Move Over law in the state where they live, and among those who do know about the laws, about 15 percent say they didn't understand the potential consequences of violating them.
The release adds that a new poll of drivers in the Washington, D.C. area found a similar lack of understanding or awareness of the Move Over law, and 57 percent of respondents said they were unsure of or thought no such law existed there.
In Virginia, the Move Over law was enacted in 2002. To read it, click here.
source: http://www.cbs19news.com/story/44855368/aaa-releases-study-on-move-over-laws
Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.